a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Locker Room Cleanout: Quick and Dirty

Trevor Booker on his future with the Jazz: I mean, I would definitely love to stay, but I know it’s a business, so I’m not sure what’s gonna happen. I know, you know, other teams are interested. But I would definitely love to stay, but you never know.

Trey Burke, asked to evaluate his season: You know, I think at the beginning of the season, I think it was pretty good. Preseason, I think I had a pretty well preseason going into the actual regular season. I think I shot the ball, percentage-wise, better than I did my first two years.

But then obviously once, you know, the rotation changed up, I think I actually handled it pretty well, personally. You know, I don’t wanna be the one that judges that, but personally, I think I did pretty well staying locked in, and you know, basically rooting for the team and then just basically going out there and doing what I did when my number was called. …

I don’t think it went wrong anywhere, honestly. I just think it was a decision [Quin Snyder] made. And you know, me and coach, we always talked. He always told me why he did certain things. You know, for me, I didn’t really understand it, but it was just something that he wanted to do. It was s–it was a route that he took, so for me, I just wanted to make sure I was staying professional, staying mature. …

[Snyder] basically was just saying he felt like, you know, with Shelvin Mack coming in and you know, h–that being one of his guys, and you know, obviously Shelvin had to go through some of the things that I had to go through this year. You know, Shelvin came in, he had a really good game, obviously, against Portland. And you know, from there on, [Snyder] told me that he was giving [Mack] an opportunity, so that was pretty much, you know, what he shared with me.

You know, we always was up front with each other. He always was honest with me and vice versa. So, I just wanted to know what it was that I was doing, and basically he was saying I was being professional. It wasn’t nothing that I did, you know, for me to actually stop getting minutes.

Alec Burks on what he needs to improve this summer: First thing fir–I want to get 100 percent healthy. I want my, I want to be 100 percent. I want to be that Alec that I’m known to be. And on my game, I just want to take that next step. I think — I’m 24; it’s about to be my sixth year in the league. I’m ready to take that next step to be great, so I’m gonna do that.

Dante Exum on whether he feels pressure being labeled as next year’s savior (biggest offseason free agent acquisition): You know, I, our team obviously has a lot of potential, and you know, we’re very young. And, I mean, the, you know, we, you know, stepped up a lot defensively when I was playing in that last bit of the season. So, you know, I don’t listen too much to, you know, what everyone’s saying, and you know, I know why I’m here, and you know, what I gotta do. So, I’m just focusing on that, and you know, I’m gonna do the best I can to make everyone around me better, and myself, so.

** People calling Alec Burks “Alex”: Dante Exum

Derrick Favors on his and Gordon Hayward’s leadership: You know, our leadership improved a lot this year. You know, we, both of us led by example. A couple of times during the games, you know, when the team was in, the team needed a basket or the team needed a stop or just needed motivation, you know, me and Gordon was there to make the big plays or said things in the huddles or whatever.

Favors on the way the season ended: It was definitely heartbreaking. You know, the way the whole playoff race was set up with us, Dallas, Houston, you know, it was heartbreaking, man. You know, a lot of guys took it kind of hard. I know I did. And you know, just give us something to look forward to and work on during the offseason. You know, that we was that close to making the playoffs, and you know, we let a couple of games go, that we probably could’ve ro–could’ve won. But it was definitely tough.

Rudy Gobert on what he will work on this offseason: Can’t really see it on stats, but I feel like I got better. I’ve learned a lot this season, and this off-season, most important gonna be to work on my strength, especially lower body, my resistance. You know, make sure I keep getting stronger, and, to be able to be dominant as I want to be.

Gordon Hayward on the way the season ended: Obviously disappointed. Came into the season with a lot of expectations of making the playoffs…I think with the adversities that we had this year, and the injuries, and the timing of the injuries, you know, I think the one thing that I can say is that we continued to fight ’til the end. We gave ourselves a chance, and we had opportunities, and I think that’s all you can ask for.

Hayward on if “youth” and “inexperience” can still be used as an excuse: I think for some of us, yes. For others of us, no. We’re still extremely young as a team. We’re extremely young collectively. And you know, I think, like I said earlier, we need to use the experiences we had this year for the upcoming years, and I think it’ll make us as better players. …

It’s definitely not BS. I think experience is huge, and you know, being, like, what is it, the s–we’re the second least experienced or whatever…Plus, then you say with it, that inexperience, then guys get injured, and now you’re bringing in other guys that are just as equally inexperienced. So it is, it’s tough.

Rodney Hood on how much body work he needs to do: I gotta do a lot. You know, and it’s not just about muscle. It’s just about, you know, stamina. You know, just being able to last for long periods of time. And it’s something you just gotta go through, you know, your first full season. And you know, you can talk about it all day. You gotta stretch, and you gotta do this. But it’s just gonna be certain times you just feel like you fighting in quicksand, but you know, s–you can do more to prepare for those moments so you can still be successful.

Joe Ingles on his kerfluffle with Dirk Nowitzki in the last home game of the season: He said something to me, and honestly, without trying to be, like, rude or anything, I didn’t understand what he said. And then that’s when he came and, like, got really close, and I still honestly don’t really know what I said, but I might’ve mentioned something about some bad breath or something like that.

Chris Johnson on being so close yet so far away: There was a lot of adversity this year. You know, the ups and downs of injuries, and you know, just whatever the situation was, but you know, everybody’s feeling down about it, but you know, we can learn something from it, and try to find ways next season to not be in the same position and make sure we there next year.

Trey Lyles on what drives him: Just being able to play basketball every day. You know, being able to come here, and you know, not really take it as a job. You know, a lot of people don’t get to do what they love, and I get to do what I love every day, so I might as well go out there and you know, work hard and play hard and just have fun with it every day.

Shelvin Mack on how he sees his role next year with Dante Exum returning: I think I fit in real good. You know, I can play multiple positions; he can play multiple positions. Like, next year, might be some times that we might be on the court together. So, no, not really, not too caught up, man. You know, that, this can, like I said, just control the things I can control.

Raul Neto on what he learned in his rookie season: It was different. You know, I think everything. The style of practices. English. I think everything. Country. People love basketball here. I go on this trip and people recognize me sometimes, and that never happened in Spain or in Brazil. And I think everything from practice to how the Utah Jazz get me this season. I think everything was great.

Tibor Pleiss on his rookie season: I think everybody thinks for sure that’s it was a tough situation for me [to bounce back and forth between the Jazz and Stampede], but for me it was a great experience this year. You know, I went to the D-League; I played a lot; I was on the court ar–I think around, for 32 minutes per game. So, I really improved my basketball skills, and it helped me lots to be on the court. So, yeah, but I still felt like, when I came back, I still felt like a part of the team. So, I really appreciates to be here. …

I hopefully, I want to play for the team here, for the Utah Jazz. That’s why I came here. I didn’t came here to play for the D-League team. I came here f–to play for the first team, to be a part of the team, and to help. So, I really look forward for next year.

Jeff Withey on how difficult it was to get playing time and then sit on the bench for wide swathes of the season: Yeah, it’s tough. You go from, you know, playing, like, 35 minutes a game, and you start building all this confidence, and then when you stop playing, you understand why, because, you know, you have these guys that are in front of you, and you know, we were definitely fighting for a playoff spot.

So you know, I understood, but at the same time, as a competitor, you want to always be out there. You always want to be playing. But the coaches did a really good job with bringing me aside and talking to me, and you know, kind of telling me how I was. And so, [Snyder] never left me in the dark, and was, like, made me think, like I was doing something wrong. So, he did a good job with that and was professional about that.

Bonus Material1280 guy’s anthropological analysis of Salt Lake City in the NBA landscape: I’ve always thought the stereotype was the African-American player isn’t going to be happy here away from the game, what have you. But I always thought, listening to [Jazz players] talk, having lived here for 22 years now, that the African-American player, when he gets here, and lives here, and plays here, he finds that he actually likes it, and it’s not that way, the way people think.

Dante Exum on playing for the Boomers this summer: I won’t do it unless I’m 100 percent confident in myself. You know, the last thing that I want —Joe Ingles: We got Patty Mills and [Matthew] Dellavedova. We don’t need him. We got real point guards.

David Locke: Do you feel there’s any value in trying to get some action in before you get here Oct. 1?Exum: I do.Ingles: [snorts]Exum: You’re so immature. Go-lly.

Locke: You have gained how much weight?Ingles: [high-pitched squeal] I’m so glad I’m here for this.Exum: I’ve only gained, like, 10 pounds. Which is good, like —Ingles: Good 10 pounds or a bad 10 pounds?Exum: It’s good 10 pounds. You know, all muscle. All I could do was lift…At this time, I’m most definitely stronger than Joe, so I could play one through three.Ingles: I can shoot better than you with my eyes closed, so.

Exum on how added strength will help him when he drives to the basket: I mean, I haven’t gone at anyone or any contact in, you know, a while, but I’m definitely stronger. So I think, you know, I’m gonna be doing more of the bumping next year.Ingles: [snorts]Exum: [cracks up]Ingles: [cracks up] [more snorting]Ingles: Really?Exum: Staaahp.Ingles: …on daytime radio?Exum: Just unplug his mic.

Ingles on legendary tightwad Gordon Hayward: Gordon’s the tightest NBA player in the world.Locke: He doesn’t pay? He’s, like, two years away from making $30 [million a year].Ingles: Oh, my gosh. Yeah, he doesn’t. He’s, I hope he’s listening on his drive home right now. He probably — if we tallied up every time we’d been to dinner and every time someone had paid, he’d definitely be the least.Exum: We went to a steak restaurant, and I think Joe paid, and then the next time, we went to a P.F. Chang’s, and you know, I picked that one up.Ingles: Of course, [Exum] decides to go and buy a $1 million car.Exum: It was not a $1 million car.

Ingles: Look at that right there.Trey Lyles: Look at what?Ingles: I wish we had a Periscope on this so we could see the Rolex.Lyles: I don’t have a Rolex. It’s fake.Ingles: You swear?Lyles: No. I don’t.Locke: Do you think [Lyles] took a pay cut when he came to the NBA?Ingles: He obviously took a pay cut.Lyles: It’s so disrespectful when they say that. I had to go to class and everything. Signing off. Mamba out.

David Locke: Unintentional Dirty Quote Machine (UDQM)**Locke to Derrick Favors (presumably) on his twins: Have fun with the little girls.**Locke to Rudy Gobert on when he got injured: You were face down and just pounded on the floor. I think you let out probably about seven months of frustration right there in one moment.**Locke to Chris Johnson on his shot: Is it s–did it, were you surprised it didn’t go in more?**Locke to Trey Lyles at the end of the interview: I’m sorry. I really, I apologize, Trey, ’cause I was done, actually, like, a minute ago. And I, you really should have been free from this.**Locke to Raul Neto on talking to Quin Snyder about his one DNP-CD of the season: You should get on him right now.**Locke, quoting himself on a call he made earlier in the season: “Raul Neto just went, ‘Oh my. That’s the s–that’s what the size of these guys are at my position now.'”**Locke to Tibor Pleiss on the pics he took during Kobe Bryant’s final game: I got the picture of the night last night.Pleiss: Yeah? Show me.Locke: Here, I’ll show you.Pleiss: I’ll show you my picture.Locke: All right…It’s very strange for us to show pictures while on the radio.Pleiss: So, that’s my picture.Locke: That’s mine.Pleiss: OK. Yours is better.Locke: Who’s is better?Pleiss: Yours. Yeah.

I love Lyles …. he actually says how lucky he is to play basketball every day :)
Yes …. we need Joe as color guy. That should be in his next contract.
Plus Exum gets to rib him whenever he rides the pine most of the game. :)